The Reckoning is Here! Vote Now for the Best Trip Reports in First Quarter 2011!

Fellow Spearboard members - the First Quarter 2011 Best Trip Report Challenge nominations are over, the finalists have been determined and all that is left to do is:

VOTE NOW!

This is a brand new endeavor on Spearboard - The Best Trip Report Challenge

Because we are the world's largest Internet discussion forum for the sport of spearfishing, we are able to generate huge traffic for our sponsors. Many of them are stepping up to the plate and donating prizes for this worldwide Best Trip Report Challenge.

At first we will do it quarterly and then move to monthly depending on the response. The idea is to have fun with this and recognize the best of the best. The official rules are located at this thread which is in a new dedicated forum:

I have added some more prizes shown below in the form of dive trips since this endeavor is about great trip reports. I also am providing the engraved spear-shaped blue clear trophies shown below. And of course, the original prizes of three great guns are presented below.

If you have any questions or comments, please ask them in this thread or start a new thread in the new section.

Re: The Reckoning is Here! Vote Now for the Best Trip Report in First Quarter 2011!

The original prizes for Best Trip Reports of the Quarter Ended March 31, 2011 are three speargubns valued between $350 and $500 dollars. These great prizes will be allocated as follows according to the official rules:

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There will be a pool of prizes for the three regions. If the prizes are usable in all geographic regions, the three winners will try to agree which prize they want. If they can't agree, we will use a selection method like Rock –Paper - Scissors. Being awarded a prize should be a secondary consideration to the honor of being selected as the best trip reporter by your fellow spearfishing men and women.

DONATED PRIZE - ANDRE 120 CM SPEARGUN

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The Andre GOLD 120 speargun is great for spearfishing around rock reef and coral areas in the shallows. Its shorter stock is easily maneuverable into tight spaces, like into cracks or under rocks where rock fish & snapper hide.

The GOLD 120 speargun also features a butt extension design for hip loading leverage. As you pull the power bands back, the butt extension makes it easy to rest the butt of the speargun on your hip without the handle getting in your way. The spear track is recessed into the stock to guide the spear accurately down the barrel. The groove is durable and an excellent design feature compared to eye hole spear tracks which break easily and reduce accuracy.

DONATED PRIZE - PELAJ KANJI 110 CM SPEARGUN

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Made in Australia, the Pelaj railgun features numerous innovations including:

1. reinforced Rhino speed barrels allowing use of stronger multiple rubbers resulting in more powerful, accurate shots;
2. double clip in muzzles aligning both rubbers perfectly parallel to spear travel providing optimum energy transfer;
3. triple rubber clip in power band muzzles – a first on a production railgun;
4. exceptional interchangeability so every component can be (dis)assembled using basic tools.

Pelaj railguns have been built to harvest large powerful fish and are designed to last a lifetime.

Featuring a Fully Enclosed Track with a Twin Rail Barrel, this is the only gun of its kind and BUILT FOR BIG GAME!

The “MAKO Oceanic ETR” was designed by Chad Morris (aka Griswold) and Jeff DeRocher (aka Tin Man), two spearo/designers from the Bayous of Louisiana who spent years designing, machining and fabricating custom spearguns and related underwater hunting gear. Known as “The Bayou Design Team”, Jeff and Chad have built a reputation by combining innovative designs with the latest in high tech material and quality workmanship.

What is an Enclosed Track Railgun (ETR)?
By nature, Railguns are more accurate and more powerful than regular euro guns. This is because of the integrated rail barrel which supports and guides the spear down the rail (barrel) as it exits the gun. This additional support, by the integrated rail reduces “spear whip” and drastically increases accuracy.

The only way to improve upon this would be to incorporate an “Enclosed Track”, the length of the barrel, thereby further increasing accuracy and allowing for enhanced power and virtually eliminating all “spear whip” as the spear exits the gun. With an “Enclosed Track”, the spear is supported not only from the bottom. The spear is also supported by the surrounding walls and partial ceiling offered by the “Enclosed Track”, much like a bullet fired from the barrel of a high powered rifle.

In designing this “Enclosed Track Railgun”, the main challenge for the Bayou Design Team was weight. With the added material of the “Enclosed Track”, the gun had to be light enough so the gun would float (without the shaft), but strong enough, to prevent barrel flex. In experimenting with various designs and materials, the Bayou Design Team came up with the idea of using 2 smaller integrated rails for strength (one on each side) instead of one main rail. By design, this Twin Rail Design (one on each side) would also capture a slide in “Enclosed Track” made of lightweight, yet durable, high density polyethylene.

Essentially, the Bayou Design Team took the MAKO Oceanic Pro Railgun barrel, which is the largest and strongest aluminum barrel on the market and made it even stronger with “Twin Rails” while adding very little weight.

Occasionally seen on larger and heavier custom wood guns, this “Enclosed Track Technology”, incorporated into a much lighter railgun makes the “MAKO Oceanic ETR” the only one of its’ kind. The result…. The most accurate BIG GAME ENCLOSED TRACK RAIL GUN ever built for blue water hunting, inshore hunting and even freeshafting.

Re: The Reckoning is Here! Vote Now for the Best Trip Report in First Quarter 2011!

The name of this game is creating great trip reports - so let's sweeten the pot and give away some great spearfishing trips!

The following are the dive vacation trips or dive chart boat trips I have added to the prizes. As you look at these certificates, please realize you must spend some money to get to these locations, at least as far as Baja, Mexico or Chandler, Arizona or West Palm Beach, Florida. There may also be some additional costs like alcoholic beverages and such. Please visit each website link below to find out more.

Whatever you winners do, please post up a great trip report on Spearboard after you take these trips.